1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical recording/reproducing apparatus having a label printer for printing labels on an optical disk and a method for printing labels on an optical disk. More particularly, to an optical recording/reproducing apparatus having a label printer which prints labels directly on a label surface of an optical disk using thermal transfer and a method for printing labels on an optical disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a recording surface on/from which information is recorded/reproduced is formed on one surface of an optical disk such as a CD, DVD, blu-ray disks (BD) or HD-DVD. A label surface on which pictures, characters, or symbols for identifying the optical disk can be marked is formed on a surface opposite to the recording surface of the optical disk. When recording predetermined information on the optical disk, a user can make a predetermined mark on the label surface of the optical disk so that the optical disk can be identified from an optical disk on which other information is recorded.
Conventional methods for making a predetermined mark on the label surface of the optical disk include a method for directly writing a predetermined mark using a pen or marker. However, using this method requires that a physical force be applied to the recording surface of the optical disk. Thus, when information is reproduced from the optical disk, errors may be generated. In addition, it is not easy to include much information in the mark since the manner of expressing the mark is limited.
Conventional methods for making a predetermined mark on the label surface of the optical disk further include a method for printing labels on a sticker-shaped sheet of paper using an external printer, and then manually detaching the sticker on which the labels are printed and directly attaching the sticker onto a label surface of an optical disk. However, in this method, the weight of the optical disk is changed. Thus, it may be difficult to reproduce information recorded from the optical disk. Furthermore, if the sticker is not precisely attached in the center of the optical disk, an eccentricity or deflection may easily occur, when the optical disk is rotated while information is being recorded/reproduced on the optical disk. In addition, the sticker may be separated from the optical disk while the optical disk is mounted on a recording/reproducing apparatus.
A variety of conventional label printers which print pictures, characters, or symbols edited by a user on a label surface of an optical disk have been developed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,031 discloses a label printer installed in an optical disk drive, and having an ink-jet or bubble-jet head to print pictures, characters, or symbols on a label surface of an optical disk using an ink-jet or bubble-jet method. In this method, labels are printed by referring to a position signal on a top surface of the optical disk while the optical disk mounted in the optical disk drive is rotated. However, in this case, the entire structure of the optical disk drive is complicated and the size thereof is large. Thus, it is difficult to implement the label printer for use in a desktop personal computer (PC) or laptop PC. In addition, since the labels are printed while the optical disk is rotated, information on the position of the optical disk is required. In addition, disks in which only an additional ink-absorbing layer is formed on a label surface of an optical disk should be used.
In another conventional label printing method, a laser device for printing labels is installed in an optical disk drive and labels are printed on an optical disk by heating a thermal-sensitive layer formed on a label surface of the optical disk using the laser device. However, even in this method, only a specific optical disk having a label surface on which the thermal-sensitive layer is formed should be used and color printing cannot be realized. In addition, it takes at least 30 minutes to perform a printing operation. Furthermore, since the temperature of the optical disk partially rises to 90°-120° when labels are printed, information recorded on a recording layer of the optical disk may be damaged. In addition, this method may adversely affect the function of the laser device for recording/reproducing information on/from the optical disk.
Furthermore, when using the above-mentioned conventional methods, printed labels cannot be deleted or re-recorded.